Choosing between the SAT and ACT is one of the most common questions families face during the college application process, and the answer is more straightforward than most realize: your student should take a practice test of both exams, compare results, and focus on whichever test produces the stronger score. While both tests are accepted by virtually all U.S. colleges, key differences in format, content, and timing can significantly impact individual performance. For a complete guide to navigating standardized testing and every other aspect of your college application journey, see our comprehensive resource on how to get into college.
How Should My Student Decide Whether to Take the SAT or the ACT?
The most effective approach to choosing between the SAT and ACT is surprisingly simple: try both. Since some students are better at the SAT and others at the ACT, your student should plan to take a full practice test of each in a test-like environment before deciding on which they prefer.
Many test prep companies offer free diagnostic practice tests as a marketing strategy and will provide a detailed analysis of the results. This diagnostic process is invaluable because it reveals which test format aligns better with your student’s thinking style and academic strengths.
Some students ultimately choose to take both the SAT and ACT in official testing situations to see which produces better results in a live environment. This is a valid strategy, but students should always be thoroughly prepared before sitting for any official exam.
Once your student has identified which test works best for them, plan to take the first official test in the winter or early spring of junior year. This timeline provides enough runway to retake the test if scores don’t meet expectations while avoiding the pressure of senior year application deadlines.
What Are the Key Structural Differences Between the SAT and ACT Formats?
Understanding the structural differences between these tests helps families make informed decisions:
The SAT consists of two main sections—Evidence-Based Reading and Writing plus Math—with a total testing time of two hours and 14 minutes. The College Board has eliminated the writing section entirely.
The ACT includes four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning (now optional), totaling about 2 hours and 45 minutes, including the optional Science section but without the optional writing component.
Comment: Hardly any schools require it – including West Point – so it’s irrelevant at this point.
The ACT’s dedicated optional Science section tests data interpretation and scientific reasoning abilities—skills not directly measured on the SAT. Students who excel at reading graphs, interpreting experimental data, and drawing conclusions from scientific passages may find the ACT more favorable to their strengths.
What Does ‘Test Optional’ Really Mean for College Admissions?
This is perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of modern college admissions. Despite the widespread adoption of test-optional policies since the pandemic, the reality is more nuanced than many families realize.
Great College Advice counselors are direct about this: “Test optional means take the tests.”
The vast majority of colleges remain test-optional in 2025-2026, but many operate as test-optional in name only. Submitting an above-average test score consistently increases admission odds. The general rule of thumb is straightforward: if your student scores above the 50th percentile of a school’s reported range, they should submit their score to that institution.
As one admissions officer candidly shared with Great College Advice: “Test scores matter less than you think they do, but more than you want them to.”
There’s an important distinction between test-optional and test-blind policies:
Test-blind schools (like the University of California System) won’t even consider test scores if submitted. All applicants compete on an equal, scoreless playing field.
Test-optional schools create an unclear competitive landscape. Students with strong scores who submit them typically have an advantage over students who don’t—colleges may publicly promise equal consideration, but as Great College Advice notes, you can’t unsee a score that is staring at you on the page.
Robin Kaminsky, a member of the Great College Advice community, has observed that even though schools claim to be “test optional,” they actually prefer test scores, especially for competitive programs like engineering.
How Important Are SAT and ACT Scores for Merit Scholarships and Financial Aid?
The financial implications of standardized testing often surprise families. Test scores are very important for merit-based financial aid.
At many colleges and universities, merit-based scholarships are closely tied to ACT and SAT scores. For families seeking merit aid, investing in test preparation to raise scores makes financial sense because a few more points can mean thousands more dollars in scholarships.
This is one of the most compelling reasons to take standardized tests seriously, even at officially test-optional institutions. A student targeting schools known for generous merit aid should aim for scores at or above the 75th percentile of admitted students to maximize scholarship opportunities.
Many public universities and private colleges use test scores as automatic qualifiers for tiered scholarship programs. In these systems, crossing certain score thresholds can immediately unlock significant financial awards, making every point genuinely valuable in the overall college cost equation.
What Is Superscoring and How Does It Work for SAT and ACT?
Superscoring is a favorable policy where admissions offices combine the best section scores a student has achieved across all test dates into a single, higher composite score.
According to Great College Advice, most colleges superscore ACT and SAT, but policies do vary among schools; some schools will superscore one test but not the other, and some schools will not superscore.
Here’s how superscoring works in practice: If a student scores higher in Math on their October SAT and higher in Reading on their December SAT, a superscoring school will combine these optimal section scores into a single, higher composite. This means sending all test scores to schools that superscore can actually benefit your student by presenting their best possible combined result.
Both the SAT and ACT also offer Score Choice, which allows students to decide which complete test dates to send to colleges. However, parents should be aware that a handful of the most selective schools require students to submit scores from every test taken since ninth grade—a critical reason why Great College Advice advises against taking any official test “for practice.”
One parent in the Great College Advice community confirmed an important detail: “Once you send official score reports, schools see all of the scores that make up a superscore.” This transparency is worth considering when planning your testing and retake strategy.
How Should My Student Prepare Effectively for Standardized Tests?
The Great College Advice Family Handbook offers clear guidance on test preparation: “Just like getting to Carnegie Hall, the best way to get ready for standardized tests is to practice, practice, practice!”
Although colleges may not openly discuss it, students’ scores on both tests can be significantly improved through familiarity with the test format and strategic coaching.
Recommended preparation approach:
Students should complete as many full-length practice exams as possible under realistic, timed conditions. At a minimum, practice at least one section every week in the month(s) leading up to the exam date.
Free and low-cost resources include:
- Practice exams on the ACT website (ACTstudent.org) and College Board website (CollegeBoard.org)
- Khan Academy’s comprehensive SAT preparation materials
- The Real ACT Prep Guide (official ACT preparation book)
- The Official SAT Study Guide (official College Board preparation book)
For more structured preparation, families often weigh the choice between private tutoring and group test preparation courses. One parent in the Great College Advice community shared valuable insight: while their student prepared content independently using prep books, it was the “final test-taking strategy and stamina that required professional help.” A focused intensive course provided the polish needed for meaningful score improvement.
Critical warning: Never take an official SAT or ACT “for practice.” Some selective schools require students to submit all test scores from ninth grade onward, meaning a low “practice” score could follow your student throughout the application process.
When Should My Student Take the SAT or ACT, and How Many Times?
According to Great College Advice, students should plan to take their first official SAT or ACT in the winter or early spring of junior year. This timing provides enough opportunity to retake the test if scores don’t meet goals while avoiding the compressed timeline of senior year applications.
How many times should you take the test? As many times as necessary until you stop seeing material improvement. Since most colleges superscore, they won’t know how many attempts you made—they’ll only see your best section scores combined into an optimal composite.
Score context matters for retake decisions:
If you score 1400 on the SAT but are targeting Ivy League universities (where average scores are in the mid-1500s), plan to retake unless you have a compelling hook like recruited athlete status.
However, for less selective colleges, a 1400 represents an excellent score that may not warrant additional test dates, unless a higher score would unlock better merit scholarship tiers.
For schools that are genuinely test-optional (and where you’re not pursuing merit aid), don’t invest time in retaking unless you’re confident of significant improvement. That time is better spent strengthening your GPA and developing meaningful extracurricular activities.
Taking the Next Step
Understanding the real differences between the SAT and ACT, and how test-optional policies actually work, gives your family a strategic advantage in the college admissions process. The key is starting early, practicing systematically, and making informed decisions based on your student’s individual strengths and college goals.
For comprehensive guidance on standardized testing strategy, college list development, application planning, and every other aspect of the admissions journey, talk to our team today.
